CROSSWORD #419: Hidden Cameras & an interview with Dan Feyer

CROSSWORD SOLVER PUZZLE:
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PROGRAM: [Crossword Solver]

PROGRAM: [Java]

PRINTOUT PUZZLE: [ HIDDEN CAMERAS]

PROGRAM: [Adobe Acrobat]

ACROSS LITE PUZZLE: [ HIDDEN CAMERAS] 
PROGRAM: [Across Lite]

Twas the night before the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, and all through BEQ.com headquarters, you’ll find Brendan scrambling to pack way too much shit into a way too small suitcase. There’s a helluva lot more stuff to bring if you’re travelling with a baby. Anyway, one guy who’s probably not packing anything (because he lives in Manhattan, and the ACPT is in Brooklyn) is the returning champion “Steely” Dan Feyer. Aside from being an All-World speed solver, Dan’s a monster on the ivories. Don’t believe me? Check out Dan, aged 17, posing with a talent scout. I caught up with the man, the myth, the legend, Mr. I’ve-solved-350,000-more-puzzles-than-you-and-in-less-time-too himself earlier this week, and this is how it went down.

BEQ: What time is it right now? And how many puzzles have you done so far today?

Dan: It’s 8pm. In the morning, I did four old NYT puzzles to warm up (Monday through Thursday from 2003), and today’s five newspaper/website puzzles, all on paper. Two 17x puzzles from a Simon & Schuster book on the subway. At my part-time job assisting Peter [Gordon] and Francis [Heaney] over at Puzzlewright Press, I had to decipher a few Byron Walden clues (he has an upcoming book), but that doesn’t really count. At home, I’ve just solved six old CrosSynergy puzzles (Across Lite, downs only; makes easy puzzles more fun!) while watching DVRed Jon Stewart and [Stephen] Colbert. That’ll probably be it for the day.

BEQ: It takes a lot of motivation to keep up that insane number of puzzles a day. How much of that is motivation to win the ACPT?

Dan: Some of it is motivation to solve All The Puzzles, which I know will never happen (I hope to God will never happen) but is a fun, weird pipe dream. The first-place check that Will Shortz hands out is always a pretty good motivation to practice, especially this year when I haven’t been as gung-ho. Perhaps I should get motivated to help the ACPT land some more sponsors, which might increase the size of that check.

BEQ: Are you at all nervous about being the human face that’s going up against Dr. Fill?

Dan: It’s not like our showdown is going to be watched by 10 million people on a three-night syndicated broadcast … right, Ken Jennings? So no, not at all. I don’t really care how Dr. Fill performs on the puzzles, but I’m fascinated by the project and glad that it’s bringing extra media attention to the ACPT.

BEQ: Since you’ve probably done every American crossword ever made, what are some of your favorites?

Dan: Like I said, I’m a ways away from doing every crossword! I swear! I’ve done plenty of great ones, but goddamn if I can remember my particular favorites. I’ll single out two that were my favorite “aha” moments ever, from my early days of solving.

I remember being stunned by David J. Kahn’s “Positional Play” when I came across it in a Will Shortz “Best Of” collection. All nine baseball positions are represented in theme answers, situated appropriately.

The other theme that I vividly remember dropping my jaw is called “Vowel Lines”, #35 in Patrick Berry’s “Crossword Puzzle Challenges For Dummies.” The top three rows only use E’s, the next three only A’s, then I, U, and O. Simple and neat. It pales beside a quad-stack or a two-way rebus, and I’m sure there’s a little un-Berryish fill in there, but for a burgeoning crossword addict, that was a perfect example of what a brilliant constructor can do.

BEQ: Is speed solving just a phase? And if you move onto something else, say competitive eating, are you going to be as intense as you are with puzzles?

Dan: Don’t worry, Mom, I’m not going to move on to competitive eating. Simply put, no and no. On occasion, I’ve been bored with my self-imposed duty to speed-solve and post my times online every day. But a few months ago I slightly revamped my blog to make it interactive. Now it’s more fun, because a bunch of solvers are posting their times on my aesthetically pleasing Google spreadsheets. Come on by and enjoy the ACPT’s competitive spirit every day of the year! But without the trophies! All skill levels are welcome.